Six-month Thailand tourist visa, available from November 13
From November 13, 2015, tourists can buy a six-month visa for 5.000 baht. This new visa variant should promote tourism to Thailand.
The visa allows you to enter and leave the country as many times as you like in a six-month period. It is not the case that you can stay in Thailand for six months. Here too, the 60-day rule applies (you must leave the country within 60 days of arrival and you may then use the visa to re-enter Thailand).
Thailand wants to enforce the 60-day rule to prevent foreigners from illegally living or working in the country.
Source: Khaosod English – http://goo.gl/UGR5nm
NB: Explanation from our visa specialist RonnyLatPhrao:
With this visa, one would in theory stay in Thailand for 8 months (visa runs included) if you do some calculations. Make the last visa run (border run) just before the end of the validity period. The Thai government will then be allowed to tackle the problem of the border runs (visa runs) at the border posts properly, and not let them have their own way as is the case now!
The visa would already be available from November 13 (whether it is actually available on November 13 in the Embassy/Consulate, time will tell).
We are now waiting for the official texts with the details, including can each entry be extended by 30 days like the current tourist visa, what is the official name of the visa, are there any restrictions (can it be applied for twice a year) , what financial requirements are involved?, etc…
So it will be a “Tourist” version of the “Non-immigrant “O” Multiple entry”. Only the residence period is 60 days instead of 90 days and the validity period is 6 months instead of a year. Cost price seems the same 150 Euro.
As soon as there are more details I will let you know and it will also be included in the new visa file.
Well, if they want to promote tourism then 5000 Bath is a bad start.
Peter, what do you mean bad start If someone can afford to go on holiday for six months, visa costs of less than THB 200 per week are of course not too expensive. Why always complain about change instead of applauding the positive of it.
Well, Paul Schiphol, as it is now at the various border crossings, I do not see the positive in it. Any odd guy at Immigration can just stop you from coming in for any reason he/she can come up with, doesn't matter. No matter what type of visa.
Yes, that's how they abolish it and that's how they reintroduce it. What a policy. Oh yes typical Thai. Thinking in the NOW! And again one has to leave the country to use the next entry, how stupid can you be not to let that money flow into your own state coffers by simply extending it at the immigration. Do they not learn from their neighbors or have they invented it again?
Furthermore, a good thing for people who want to hibernate for half a year!
That money is already in your own treasury, because you already purchased your visa with the associated entries before you came to Thailand. Whether you use it or not, that money is already in the Thai government treasury. You can also extend certain entries in Thailand. Also goes into the State Treasury. And have you ever thought carefully about what such a visa run economy yields and how many people live from it in Thailand? I don't think this will be resolved anytime soon...
Promote tourism ? Sounds like more money to the state coffers to me.
Too bad, I think the price is way too expensive.
30 days “free”
en
6 months 5000 Bhat and then every 60 days out of the country.
In my opinion this doesn't work. to get more tourists.
Nico
Dear Nico, what do you mean by 30 days free? Maybe fellow bloggers are wrong?
Do you mean that upon arrival at the airport one gets 30 days and then starts using their visa?
Your first entry will take effect upon arrival and you will immediately receive 60 days. Those 30 days do not apply. But glad to hear from you
Anyone entering Thailand will receive a tourist visa, which is valid for 30 days and free of charge.
If you want to stay longer, you have to apply for another (longer visa) and that costs a lot of money; 90 days 1900 Bhat or one-time entry for a year 1.900 Bhat and a multi for a year + 3600 Bhat. (so total 5500 Bhat) it can't go on.
And now the 6 months visa is added, also for 5000 Bhat with peeking at the neighbors every 60 days. I really like that and visit a different country in the region every 90 days.
But for hibernators that could be annoying.
Mr. Prayut Chan-o-cha my proposal is; the purpose of the visa is good for hibernators, but then not oblige to leave the country and set the price at 1900 Bhat.
Do your best.
Nico from Lak-Si
Dear readers,
Just as an addition.
Maybe we shouldn't look too far and “new visa” is a bit misleading.
In the press and on FB of Foreign Affairs people speak of a "new" tourist visa.
You can then deduce from this that new requirements will be imposed on the applicant.
In that case it is indeed a “new tourist visa”.
It is also possible that the current visa will only be extended with a "Multiple entry", where the current one is limited to three entries
In that case you do not speak of a “New tourist visa” but of an extension of the current tourist visa. Therefore, no new requirements are imposed on the applicant.
You only pay more because it now has a “Multiple entry”.
For the time being, it is therefore a matter of waiting for the official rules to appear in order to obtain clarity on this
As RonnyLat Phrau already points out, you have to wait for the right text to get a correct overview.
According to the current data, I see little benefit for someone who wants to spend the winter in the kingdom, for example, for 6 months. To spend the winter in Thailand for 6 months, I can stay 90 days with an annual Non-Immigrant visa "O", so that I only have to leave the country 1 time, with a so-called border run, while with the new arrangement I have to leave the country 2 times. If I now count the time and the double costs of these border runs, the question arises for me, where is the advantage of this new visa regulation, especially if the costs for the two visas are approximately equal.???
Dear John,
Of course you do not have to be 50 years old for a Tourist visa.
It is also not tied to a minimum income of 600 Euros or a bank guarantee of 20 Euros like the Non-immigrant “O”. At least, we do not yet know what the financial requirements will be for the new visa.
Dear RonnyLatPhrao,
You are certainly right, this is a Tourist Visa where you are not bound by age, income, and bank guarantee. Only this new 6-month Visa is also intended to increase the number of tourists, and then the tourist over the age of 50 is usually the largest group, who can take care of this, the more so many are no longer so labor-bound, and moreover often over have more financial resources, which also benefit the country.
To keep it short, with this measure, they overshoot the real target, or am I wrong?
Regards John.
Dear John,
At the moment I do not immediately see the advantages for those who want to stay in Thailand with this visa for a longer period of time.
If they really want to do something for long-stayers, it would have been better to have made a version that allows 6 months of uninterrupted stay. I am thinking especially of the many hibernators who stay here for 4-5 months and are not bound by age.
Now it seems indeed to have missed its target.
Maybe when the official version comes out there will be more clarity, but to be honest I fear it.
It is indeed more like filling the State Treasury.
I would like to note that a non-immigrant O visa does not require a border run at all. Immigration extends your 90-day stay with form TM 47, especially here in Pattaya. If you are doing this for the first time, please attach the relevant copies to the form.
Visa by arrival 28 days is also extended here in Pattaya by 28 days against payment 1900 baht and formula “Longer stay” + copy of passport / passport photo and plane ticket.
Pattaya has an excellent immigration, where they go very far with the service!
Form TM 47 is used for the 90-day (address) report.
“TM47 – Form for alien to notify of staying longer than 90 days”
That is, anyone staying in Thailand for more than 90 days continuously must confirm their address with that form (and every subsequent 90 days of continuous stay)
It is certainly not an application for an extension of stay.
The date on the form you get back is the date when you have to report again to confirm your address and this only if you were still in Thailand, but it is certainly not permission to stay longer in Thailand .
The address notification is free.
For an extension of stay, you must use form TM 7.
TM 7 – Application for extension of temporary stay in the kingdom. to fill in.
With this you can request an extension.
With a Non-immigrant “O” Multiple entry you must make a visa run (border run) every 90 days.
Some immigration offices are sometimes willing to grant a new 90-day stay if you still have a valid Non-immigrant “O” Multiple entry, but these are more exceptions than regularity.
You cannot obtain a “Visa on Arrival” as a Dutch citizen.
As a Dutch/Belgian you will receive a “Visa Exemption” of 30 days and not 28 days upon arrival at an Int airport.
Following that “Visa Exemption” you can request an extension of a maximum of 30 days and not 28 days.
Indeed it costs 1900 Baht. Each extension 7 days, 30 days or one year all costs 1900 Baht.
.
I see a lot of grumbling about making necessary "borreruns". Why not enjoy the obligation to go abroad for a while, Thailand has many beautiful destinations in the vicinity. It is not a punishment during your stay (holiday) to come somewhere else than your permanent place. Don't dive into a stuffed minivan for a day trip to the border, but take the (Low-Cost) plane and enjoy a trip that can really be longer than just flying back and forth. Different country, different food, different environment, in short, enrich your Asian stay with a new experience every time by choosing a different destination for your multi-day “border run”.
I love doing it every 90 days eff. to the neighbors, with Air Asia incl. Hotel, it costs a pittance.
Just on a Non-immigrant “O” visa, an “OA” visa is not necessary for me. Whining about enough money or income.
Now I send a form to BZ and get the signed form back.
At Immigration on the Chiang Watthana Road (Bangkok) I find it “strange” to first obtain a single entry visa at counter L and then a multi entry visa at Counter C2.
But yes, it will be the Thai counting method.
How can a Thai add 1.900 + 3.600 Bhat; not so.
So just issue two visas.
Ha, Ha, Ha, very Thailand.
Greetings Nico
From Lak-Si (diagonally opposite the government's complex)
The measures taken by the junta, such as the beach rules in Pattaya, have in any case ensured that several acquaintances of mine no longer come to Thailand.
Does this also apply to Belgians?
Yes Bob, also for Belgians….
Hi,
This visa gives no added value and is also more expensive.
For example, I want to be in Thailand for 60 consecutive days;
VISA on arrival free for 30 days and within one hour by Immigration 1 day before expiry Apply for VISA extension for 30 days and receive, costs in Na Jomtien Bath 1900 arranged within an hour.
So this new visa costs Baht 5000 and here too you have to leave the country after 60 days.
If you do take the price into account….. and want to stay uninterrupted for 60 days.
For 1000 Baht (30 Euro) you can get a “Tourist visa” Single entry that allows you to stay in Thailand for 60 days continuously. You can then possibly extend this by another 30 days.
A “Visa Exemption” of 30 days is free, the extension of 30 days costs 1900 Baht (+/- 48 euros)
It is not because there will be a Multiple entry on that visa that the Single entry will therefore disappear.
Perhaps the Double or Triple entry will disappear.
Last time been to laos 3 entrance tourist visa costs 3000 bath you have 270 days in principle
follow me, you have little advantage with this new visa it is also more expensive or can you get this in the future at the immigration office in thailand instead of a new visa to a neighboring country
I thought I had read earlier that this 'new' could be requested upon entry, which could be an important advantage compared to the multiple entry that must be requested in advance.
To promote tourism to Thailand, it might be wise for the government to really investigate where the shoe is actually pressing. The constant change in the visa system, also here connected with a high price of 5000 Baht, and the obligation to leave the country every 60 days, is in my opinion not very tourist friendly. A real improvement would be if people started to make the so-called border runs superfluous, so that a report or extension can be made, for example, at the local amphur. The money that is now paid by a border run abroad will remain in this way in the kingdom, and can also help fund this change. The same should apply to expats, who leave a lot of money in the country due to their presence, in order to grant them a so-called residence permit, which can be extended at a certain rate, so that the difficult border crossings are also eliminated here. I myself have British nationality, and when I lived in the Netherlands before the EEC existed, I was there on the basis of a temporary residence permit, which I could extend from time to time, at the local immigration service, and this was not even in the last century single problem.
I want to make a comment here about visa extension. There is nowhere in the law that one must leave the country (so-called border run) to activate the possibly 2nd part of a visa. The Immigration office, which is located where one lives, can and may do this. I came here in the mid 70's on a tourist visa and stayed here for 5-1 months. The visa was simply extended at Immigration in Soi Suan-Plu, Bangkok. Costs 3-a-Baht for a stamp. This lasted until a coup came and everything was changed. They were no longer allowed to do this. Wash Dad Prem. I then received a 2 month visa from an Immigration Officer because, he said, “Then you don't have to go to Penang”. Wash for free. Later I had to do this anyway and got / bought a multi non-O visa at the Thai Consulate, you could wait for it. I had this done by an agent and was able to return the same day, you had to be in Penang early in the morning. My XNUMX baht.
Your local immigration office may not activate a new “Entry”. They may only extend a residence period that has already been obtained, provided you meet the conditions.
A period of stay based on an “Entry” may only be allowed at a border post, . That is why it is also called an “Entry”.
You must therefore make a Visa run (border run) if you want to activate a new period of stay by means of an “Entry”. By the way, you must do this in person and may not be done by someone else. This is no longer possible given the photo that is now taken upon exit/entry.
If a new “Entry” could simply be activated through the local immigration office, I don't think many people would make a “Visa run” (border run). Don't you think so?
With this “Entry” you obtain a certain period of stay that depends on the visa.
You then have two options on the end date of that period of residence.
1. You leave Thailand to obtain a new period of stay with a new “Entry”.
2. You extend your period of stay and this can be done at your local immigration office. Of course, you should not leave Thailand. More, you can only apply for an extension within Thailand.
Renewal is subject to conditions that are described in the following documents.
– ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION BUREAU – No. 138/2557 Subject: Supporting documents for Consideration of an Alien's Application for a Temporary Stay in the Kingdom of Thailand
– ORDER OF THE IMMIGRATION BUREAU – No. 327/2557 – Subject: Criteria and Conditions for Consideration of an Alien's Application for a Temporary Stay in the Kingdom of Thailand
If you do not meet these conditions or you have obtained the maximum extension that can be obtained, you must leave the country. You can then re-enter with a new “Entry” to activate if you still have one, or you have to apply for a new visa if the “Entries” have been used up.
It is described in the Immigration Act as follows
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/doc/Immigration_Act.pdf
Section 35: The Director General or the competent official deputized by the Director General shall have the authority to permit the alien, who entered to stay temporarily in the Kingdom under Section 34, to remain in the Kingdom under any prescribed conditions. The periods of time which one is authorized to stay in the Kingdom are as Follows:
1. Not exceeding 30 days for a case under Section 34 (4) , (8) and (9)
2. Not exceeding 90 days for a case under Section 34 (3)
3. Not exceeding one year for a case under Section 34 (5) , (10), (11) , (12), (13) , (14) and (15)
4. Not exceeding two years for a case under Section 34 (6)
5. As deemed necessary for a case under Section 34 (1) and (2)
6. As deemed appropriate by the Commission of Investment Promotion, for a case under
Section 34(7)
If it is deemed necessary that the aliens have to stay in the Kingdom Longer than the period of
time prescribed in the paragraphs (1) (2) (3) and (4) the Director General shall consider granting the
aliens extension of stay for a period not exceeding one year for each time. After granting permission , the Director General shall report to the Commission for their information , with the reason , within seven days from the date of granting.
Each time when applying for an extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom, the alien shall
submit an application and pay the fees as presc
It is therefore prescribed that if you want to stay longer and uninterrupted in Thailand, this must be done by means of an extension of your period of stay.
If you want to stay longer, without an extension but on the basis of a new “Entry” on your visa, this must be done by effectively also making an “Entry” (“…to permit the alien , who entered to stay..)” ie you must actually enter the country to obtain a period of stay that corresponds to your visa.
So much for the legal way.
It now happens that a new period of residence is granted on the basis of an “Entry” without the person leaving the country and therefore no actual “Entry”.
It would be quite naive to think that this doesn't happen. Money opens many doors.
Officially, however, the immigration officer is wrong here.
He should inform the person that in order to activate a new “Entry”, he/she must leave the country. The other option is to request an extension of his current period of stay if he meets the conditions.
Will you now have problems with this if a new period of residence was granted on the basis of an “Entry” and without having left the country.
Probably not. They assume that they have all the right to make decisions, and they will not criticize each other if someone deviates from the prescribed path.
By the way, the stamp you received is indeed a legal stamp.
At most, when you leave Thailand, you will be asked how you got that new “Entry” without actually leaving Thailand, because there are probably still some things open in the system. Local immigration offices cannot conclude a residence permit, only extend it. Closing must take place at a border post.